A community group known for its controversial and antagonistic tactics is asking other neighborhood organizations to take a vote on whether they support Cincinnati's proposed streetcar project.

In a recent e-mail sent to leaders of the city's network of neighborhood councils, John Sess, president of the Westwood Civic Association, wants to gauge sentiment about the project. Sess states he will be "keeping tracks of the results," presumably to lobby city officials to reconsider the project.

When CityBeat heard the Westwood Civic Association was planning a so-called “West Side Summit,” the group's leader responded that he was seeking input from various West Side neighborhood groups and that they could help set the agenda.

A recent e-mail exchange between WCA President John Sess and aCommunity Pressreporter, however, in which Sess attempts to get publicity for the event, paints a somewhat different picture about its purpose.

Cincinnati Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls will lead a contingent of elected officials and community leaders on a road trip to Columbus on Monday to look at some apartment complexes built for homeless people there.

The group will tour two complexes built by National Church Residences (NCR) that provide permanent, supportive housing to formerly homeless individuals.

A local violence intervention program has received a $45,500 grant to continue its work.

Out of the Crossfire (OOTC) recently received the grant from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. One of only nine hospital-based programs in the nation, OOTC offers case management and rehabilitation services to more than 1,200 victims of violent injuries at the University of Cincinnati Hospital since its inception in 2006.

The Pleasant Ridge Community Council wil get words of advice and inspiration tonight from environmental activist Lois Gibbs, who was instrumental in the fight to clean up Love Canal in New York during the 1970s.

Gibbs will speak to the group at 7 p.m. at the Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church.

Urban analyst Aaron M. Renn is a consultant, speaker, writer and blogger on a mission to "help America's cities thrive and find sustainable success in the 21st century." His popular blog, The Urbanophile, examines different cities and explores a variety of urban planning topics, including innovative strategies for urban success.

Aaron recently posted a lovely long song to our fine city saying we have "the greatest collection of assets of any city [our] size in America," even going so far as to say that the Queen City has an "embarrassment of riches."

The money will be used for planning and design work for the system. Its first phase would be a loop through downtown and Over-the-Rhine, with a later segment built to the uptown area near the University of Cincinnati and local hospitals.